Combination maternity back support and garter suspender



May 21, 1968 P. B. ROCKER 3,384,092

COMBINATION MATERNITY BACK SUPPORT AND GARTER SUSPENDER Filed July 11, 1966 INVENTOR.

fag/a fifiaaker ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,384,092 COMBINATION MATERNITY BACK SUPPORT AND GARTER SUSPENDER Paula B. Rocker, Shaker Heights, Ohio Nu Vogue Creations, 812 Huron Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44115) Filed July 11, 1966, Ser. No. 564,290 4 Claims. (Cl. 128520) This invention relates to the general class of maternity garments and, more particularly, is for a combination maternity back support and garter suspender that may be worn without a girdle or garter belt, the present form of garment being an improvement upon my two patents, No. 2,477,828 of Aug. 2, 1949, and No. 2,750,597 of June 19, 1956, both of which were granted to me under my former names and which are still owned by me.

One object of this invention is to devise such a garment that will provide substantially firm and yet flexible and self-accommodating supporting engagement in the sacroiliac and neighboring regions of the wearers back so as to relieve and prevent fatigue and thus afford a sensation of security as well as comfort upon the part of the wearer.

Another object is to provide such a garment with an improved arrangement of garter attachments that will afford a substantially three-point engagement thereof with the stockings and thus maintain the same in straight condition at all times without the danger of twisting, while at the same time such arrangement of the garter attachments will co-operate also in maintaining the back-supporting portion in most effective position upon the body of the wearer.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 illustrates the present garment off of the wearers body;

FIG. 2 illustrates the same upon the wearers body;

FIG. 3 is a partial view thereof.

It is to be understood that the present form of illustration is merely for the purpose of explaining the invention which might be varied without departing from the spirit of the same as herein set forth and claimed.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the main body of the garment consists of the two duplicate longitudinally elastic members 1 and 2 which are of trapezoidal shape and of substantial width, as for instance five inches although this width might be varied. These two members are arranged in crossed angular relation to each other near the one ends thereof so as to have their adjacent end edges la and 2a extend substantially vertically when the garment is in position of use upon the wearers body, these two members being sewed together along the substantially vertical line X. By virtue of the overlapping arrangement of these two members, the resulting laminated area thereof becomes of firm, inelastic but flexible and yieldable nature; and this part of the garment is adapted to occupy position in the sacroiliac region of the wearers back when in position of use so as to respond to every movement of the wearers body.

Attached along the end edges 1a and 2a are the comparatively narrow longitudinally elastic shoulder straps 3 and 4 which extend downwardly across the members 2 and 1, being sewed thereto, and may be continued downwardly as rear garter members 5 and 6, respectively. The other ends of the members 3 and 4 are attached to the upper edegs of the members 2 and 1 at points near the lower ends thereof; that is, such other end of member 3 is attached to member 2 and such other end of member 4 is attached to member 1. This attachment. in each case, consists of a loop -8, 7, respectively, to which the strap members 3 and 4 are connected by means of familiar longitudinally slidable members and 9, respectively, so as 3,384,092 Patented May 21, 1968 to permit adjustment of the length of members 3 and r for proper supporting engagement over the shoulders 0 the wearer. It is to be observed that, in the present torn of disclosure, the lower ends of the edges 1a and 2a, tha is to say the lower corners of the upper ends of member 1 and 2, are attached to the upper edges of members 2 ant 1, respectively; the members 3 and 4 extending from th upper corners of the members 1 and 2, respectively.

With the members 1 and 2 arranged in overlying man ner, as above described, and when in position upon th body of the wearer, they are adapted to extend down wardly and forwardly about the hip regions of her bod: and to terminate at the sides thereof, with the lower on edges of members 1 and 2 occupying substantially hori zonatl position. The lower corners of these members I and 2 have attached thereto the longitudinally elasti garter members 11, 12 and 13, 14 which are here show] as extending parallel to each other in each instance whe1 in idle condition so as to be adapted for supporting en gagement of the stockings at points at the front and sid of the wearers thighs, respectively. It is to be under stood that these garter members 11, 12 and 13, 14 ma be extended in somewhat different angular directions with in reasonable limitations other than their parallel arrange ment so as to attach them to the stockings at the particu lar points desired in any given case. In any event, it ha been found that this structure and arrangement of part permits the two garters of each of these two pairs to 0c cupy and maintain substantially parallel relation to eacl other, respectively, so as to preclude the danger of twist ing the stockings. Also, the provision of the rear garte members 5 and 6 further contributes towards this end 0 supporting the stockings in a most efiicient manner with out twisting the same as there are thus provided substat tially equi-spaced three points of supporting engagemer for each stocking when attached in the manner herei contemplated. Furthermore, the rear garter members and 6, when in position of use, will further exert a dowr ward pull upon the laminated area of the members 1 an 2 and also the adjacent areas thereof so as to co-operat with the adjustable shoulder-engaging members 3 and in effectively maintaining the same in proper engagemer with these regions of the wearers back, including the re gions immediately adjacent above and below that of th sacroiliac joint, and without any abdominal pressure.

Thus, with this composite garment, there is provide means for most effectively supporting the same upon th shoulders of the wearer so as to improve the posture c the wearer and to ensure her comfort, and also means to properly positioning the adjustable garter attachments s as to preclude the necessity of a girdle or garter belt an to avoid the danger of twisting the stockings. The men bers 3, 4 and S, 6 together permit double adjustmen' With this combined arrangement, there is ensured firr and comfortable support for the back regions of th wearers body, with relief of fatigue and the resultar sensation of security, and also there is obtained an in proved appearance of the stockings which will be mair tained in straight condition. It is to be understood th: the direction of the garters, or any of them, may be varie according to the judgment and choice of the wearer.

It should be noted also that this garment is partici larly useful in connection with elastic stockings. Exper ence has shown that when the familiar form of garte belt or other such device is applied to the hips of ti wearer with elastic stockings, there is a strong tendenc of the tension of such stockings to pull the belt or Otht such device down off of the hips and thereby render ineffective. But my present form of garment anchors tl hose in a most effective manner by applying the suppor ing engagement therefor to the shoulders of the wearer s as to produce the several advantages above mentioned.

Furthermore, the peculiar qualities and practical ad- Iantages of this garment, especially with respect to the :ombined sensation of comfort and security obtained in he sacroiliac and adjoining regions of the wearers back, tre recognized as of real value from the standpoint of general physical health and, in this regard, it is capable )f beneficial use by both women and men in view of the :xtremely serious consideration that is given to the sacroliac region of the human body as well as to the effectiveiess of elastic stockings regardless of sex.

In addition to the above advantages, the present garnent is capable of being manufactured in a comparatively timple manner by virtue of the duplicate form of mem- Jers 1 and 2 as well as the other pairs of members and 1180 the conventional nature of material employed in all )f the several parts of the assembly.

What I claim is:

1. A combination back support and garter Suspender :omprising a pair of duplicate relatively long and sub- ;tantially wide longitudinally elastic members, said mem- Jers being secured together in overlying angular relation rear their one ends, said overlying portions being adapted Lo occupy position in the sacroiliac region of the wearers Jody and the other ends of said members being adapted :o occupy position at the sides of the wearers hips, a pair )f longitudinally elastic supporting members each having its one end attached to the upper end of one of said wide nembers and its other end attached to a lower point of the .lpper edge of said other Wide member and being adapted to extend in supporting engagement over the shoulders of the wearers body, and a pair of garter members attached to and extending from the lower end of each of said wide members for attachment of the stockings at the side and front of the wearers thighs, respectively.

2. The same structure as recited in claim 1 hereof and with a rear garter member attached to the lower edge of each of said Wide members at a point approximately midway of the length thereof.

3. The same structure as recited in claim 1 hereof and in which the garter members of each of said pairs are adapted to extend in substantially parallel relation to each other when in position of use upon the body of the wearer.

4. The same structure as recited in claim 3 hereof and with a rear garter member attached to the lower edge of each of said wide members at a point approximately below the point of attachment of the upper end of the cor responding supporting member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,477,828 8/1949 Rosenblatt 2-305 2,484,978 10/1949 Witous 2326 2,750,597 6/1956 Blatt 2-305 3,101,718 8/1963 Rocker 128520 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COMBINATION BACK SUPPORT AND GARTER SUSPENDER COMPRISING A PAIR OF DUPLICATE RELATIVELY LONG AND SUBSTANTIALLY WIDE LONGITUDINALLY ELASTIC MEMBERS, SAID MEMBERS BEING SECURED TOGETHER IN OVERLYING ANGULAR RELATION NEAR THEIR ONE ENDS, SAID OVERLYING PORTIONS BEING ADAPTED TO OCCUPY POSITION IN THE SACROILIAC REGION OF THE WEARER''S BODY AND THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID MEMBERS BEING ADAPTED TO OCCUPY POSITION AT THE SIDES OF THE WEARER''S HIPS, A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY ELASTIC SUPPORTING MEMBERS EACH HAVING ITS ONE END ATTACHED TO THE UPPER END OF ONE OF SAID WIDE MEMBERS AND ITS OTHER END ATTACHED TO A LOWER POINT OF THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID OTHER WIDE MEMBER AND BEING ADAPTED TO EXTEND IN SUPPORTING ENGAGEMENT OVER THE SHOULDERS OF THE WEARER''S BODY, AND A PAIR OF GARTER MEMBERS ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING FROM THE LOWER END OF EACH OF SAID WIDE MEMBERS FOR ATTACHMENT OF THE STOCKINGS AT THE SIDE AND FRONT OF THE WEARER''S THIGHS, RESPECTIVELY. 